g-ordon



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. GORDON & 1). DE GARMO. STBAW CUTTER;

Patented July 12,1881.'

flfiesi', I 21122712 0 5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. GORDON & D. DE GIARMO.

E P T U G A R T S -UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER GORDON AND DANIEL DE GARMO, OF ROCHESTER, N.

STRAW-CUTTE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,228, dated July 12, 1881.

I Application filed January 10,1881. (No model.)

10 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ALEXANDER GORDON and DANIEL DE GARMO, both of Rochester, Monroe county, New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Straw and Feed Gutters; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of the machine. Fig. 2 is acentral longitudinal vertical section. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are detail views.

In general construction this invention is similar to that patented by Alexander Gordon, February 17, 1863.

The invention consists in an improved construction and arrangement of parts, whereby the machine is simplified and made more effeetive in operation.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, which may be of any desired construction.

B is the cutter-head, armed with a series of knives, which are set somewhat spirally or inclined, in order to produce a shearing cut.

G is a shear-plate, provided with a shear edge or rib, or, against which the knives out as they rotate.

D and E are the two feed-rollers for feeding the straw to the knives. The upper roller is smooth and rests in stationary bearings. The lower roller is ribbed or flanged, and rests in bearings which are movable up and down to admit greater or less thicknesses of the material passing through. The journals of this roller restinuprightlinks b b, and pass through curved slots in the sides of the machine. The links are attached to a cross-shaft, 0, Figs. 6 and 7, and the ends of this cross-shaft rest in crank-arms d d, pivoted in the main frame. Under the center of the cross -shaft rests a wooden bar, f, which forms a spring and acts to press the yoke formed by the cross-bar and links constantly upward, thereby closing the rollers together. roller rest in curved slots in the sides of the machine, as shown by the dotted lines at 9, Fig. 9.

The shear-plate 0 consists of the body or plate port-ion h, at the lower edge of which is the rib a, and of two legs, 2' i, which extend downward and rest in stationary bearin gs at The journals of the lower the bottom, by which means the top of the plate may be swung forward and back, turning upon the lower ends of the legs as a center. Fig. 3 shows a top view of the shearplate, and Fig.5 a front elevation of the same. With the top of the shear-plate are connected screw-rods la k, which extend back through slotted lugs Z l on the sides of the machine, and are provided with nuts jj, by which means the screw-rods, and consequently the top of the shear-plate, may be moved forward or back at pleasure. Thusfar the construction is similar to that in the patent before mentioned.

In the old machine the ends of the shearplate were provided with lugs which extended outthrough slotsin the sides ofthemachine,and the ends of the screw-rods were connected with these lugs outside the machine. This was objectionable, for the reason that the shear-plate could not be removed from the machine without taking off the sides of the latter, so as to free the lugs from the slots. Considerable time and labor were required to do this. Another objection was that all the upward strain in cutting came upon the small lugs restingin the slots in the sides of the machine, and upon the pivots at the bottom of the legs, which pivots entered the sides of the machine; consequently the parts were liable to breakage, and the shear-plate could not be held steadily to.its work. A small variation from true position would throw the rib a out of line with the knives.

To obviate the difficulties above named we form open hearings on m, Fig. 5, on the sides of the machine, in which the lower ends of the legs 2' 41 rest loosely. We also form, on the inner sides of the machine, projecting ribs n n, which rest in grooves 0 0 formed in the edges of the shear-plate, said ribs being concentric with the bearings m m, and of sufficient length to allow proper movement of the shear-plate forward and back without disengaging from the grooves; and at the top, inside the machine, we form lugs 12 p on the shear-plate,

and we crank the screw-rods k k and carry plate forward so that the grooves 0 are free from the ribs 'n n, the shear-plate can be lifted bodily out of the machine without removing the sides of the latter, the legs t 2' also lifting freely out of their sockets. The ribs n n serve an important purpose in holding both ends of the shear-plate down firmly to its work and transferring the resistance from the small lugs to which the screw-rods are attached, and thereby producing greater strength with equal facility ofadjustment of the shear-plate. It also prevents the strain that otherwise would come upon and have a tendency to bind the screwrods.

Another difficulty in the old machine resulted from the leaving of an open spa ce between the front of the upper feed-roller and the back of the shear-plate, by which straw was liable to pass up around the roller in said space and wind upon the roller, the action being assisted by the upward motion of the knives.

To obviate the difficulty above named we extend back from the shear-plate a small rib, s, Fig. 8, opposite the cutting-rib. Under this rib rests a shield, P, consisting of a bar which extends entirely across the machine and is securely fastened in its sides. This shield fills the space between the shear-plate and the roller, as shown, and prevents the entrance of any straw into the space. The rib 8 slides free over the edge of the shield, and allows free forward and back adjustment without opening an y j oint. On the upper side of the shield is a curved flange, t, which approximates to the circle of the roller and presents a large contact-surface also adds strength to the shield. The rollers are driven by any suitable gearing, one form of which is shown in Fig. 9.

Having thus described our invention, we disclaim a curved cap fitting over the upper feedroller and forced down by a weight.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a straw or feed cutter, the combination of the shear-plate G, resting entirely within the sides of the machine, and having legs which rest in open bearings, the cranked screwrods k 70, passing through the sides of the machine and connecting with the shear-plate, and the ribs 1?. n, fitting in grooves 0 o of the shearplate, as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

2. In a straw-cutter, the combination of the adjustable shear-plate 0, provided with the projecting rib s, and the shield P, consisting of a horizontal plate filling the space between the shear-plate and upper feed-roller, and a curved plate embracing the side of the roller, the rib of the shear-plate overlappingthe shield, for the purpose of closing the joint at all adjustments of the shear-plate, as herein shown and described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEX. GORDON. DANIEL DE GARMO. Witnesses:

R. F. Oseoon, JACOB SPAHN. 

